Spectra (Ryuji x OC)

29 • Shido's Boat

11/20  Daytime

I fiddled with the ends of my sleeves as I waited for whatever was to happen. But I heard something close to a gunshot in the investigation room next to mine, jumping slightly at the muffled but distinguishable sound.

I was surprised I didn't hear any of the guards running down the hall, but it might've been empty, the only guard the one watching the door to the room Akira was in. There was another gunshot and I started to worry.

It was silent for another minute then Akechi walked into the room with a smile on his face. I stood up abruptly, knocking over the chair I was sitting on.

I wanted to kill him, then and there. Summon my Personas and have them rip him apart. But that would ruin the entire plan.

"Come with me"

"What?"

He took out a gun that was hidden in his jacket. "You're going to leave with me. The police will think you've escaped but after today they'll find a dead body that looks a lot like yours and rule it out as you. Both you and Joker will be dead, in the eyes of the public"

"Why? Why not just kill me too?"

"I need you. You know a lot of the Metaverse and I need that knowledge. You also have a strong, rare power"

"No"

The smile on his face fell and he stepped closer to me. "I'll shoot you, just like I shot Akira"

I gasped. "You killed him!?"

He nodded. "And now you're coming with me"

"I'm not. I don't care what you to do me but I will not come with you by choice"

"Fine"

He hit me over the head with the gun, making me fall to the ground. While he was carrying my unconscious body out of the building, claiming I was sick and needed to be taken to the hospital while not letting anyone help him, I found myself in a dream.

We were in my Palace, the hotel filled with guests from my past and present. For some reason I was running away, and he was chasing after me. It was like we didn't have everything going on and were just enjoying our free time.

I snuck in the stairwell, silently closing the door. I could hear him outside looking for me.

"Hey, Spectra, come on out-!"

I grabbed the back of his coat and pulled him into the stairwell. I moved him so he was sitting on the steps and I was sitting on the steps behind him.

"Huh? Where did you go?"

"Did you miss me?" I ask, turning his head a little so he was looking at me.

"You..."

I kissed him, his eyes wide. His cheeks reddened but his eyes slowly closed as I separated for a quick breath but connected our lips again roughly.

"Sorry," I said when I pulled away, then I started running down the staircase. "Let's talk about it during our next meeting"

"Spectra! Hey, come back!"

12/16 After School

I watched Akechi jump down from the rafters of the ship engine room, landing behind the group of Phantom Thieves. They spun around in shock.

"Long time no see," Akechi said.

"You...!?" Skull growled.

"Why's he here...!?" Oracle asks angrily.

"Hmph. I'm impressed that you managed to deceive me. It seems I underestimated your abilities," Akechi said. "You truly are interesting. Quiet, yet possessing the courage and determination to take action. Under different circumstances we could have been great rivals... perhaps even friends"

"It's not too late," Joker told him.

Akechi laughed, it sounded light hearted but evil at the same time. "How delightful! You don't allow yourself to be enslaved by such things as human relations or past selves... and so, your heart is always free. The exact opposite of mine. To be honest, I'm envious. I wonder why we couldn't have met a few years earlier"

"Akechi..." Panther says.

"But, it's no use talking in hypotheticals. That didn't happen in reality..."

"Akechi, why are you cooperating with someone like Shido!?" Queen asks. "Don't you see what this Palace looks like!? His true nature is-"

"Cooperating? What are you talking about? I don't care for Shido, or this country. All this is to make Masayoshi Shido, my father, acknowledge me. Then exact revenge on him"

"Shido is your father?" Fox asks.

"Remember I said before, how my mother had been in a relationship with some good for nothing man? So I'm his bastard child. My very existence is nothing but a scandal. My mother's life turned for the worst after she had me... and died. I was a cursed child for her too"

"That's horrible," Panther says.

"I resented him, but he was already a high ranking official by then. A kid like me could do nothing. But... that's when it happened," Akechi chuckled. "That's when I learned about the cognitive world! Someone, be it god or demon, gave me a chance! I couldn't contain my laughter!"

"You son of a..." Skull started.

"Who cares? My targets were all doing the same damn thing in this eat or be eaten world. All I did was remove their evil from society. How is that any different from the Phantom Thieves?"

"We're not murderers!" Panther yells.

"So what!? Masayoshi Shido is finally within my grasp! Once he reaches the apex of his power and acknowledges me, I'm going to whisper in his ear... I will tell him the truth of who I really am! And that's when I, an utter disgrace to the world, will rule over him. I will prevail!"

"What a warped thought... it's almost pitiable," Fox said.

"In just a few weeks, my plan would have come to fruition...! But no, you just had to interfere! I can still take it back though. I'll just need to kill you all"

"Hmph. We don't get killed for something like that," Mona says. "You talk big, but you're really nothing more than a little kid throwing a temper tantrum!"

"Don't lecture me, you piece of shit... I am going to personally thrust Masayoshi Shido into a living hell. So, Joker, rest easy and die"

"I don't plan on dying," Joker says.

"Sorry, I didn't ask for your opinion"

"You sure sound confident, but don't go pressin' your luck," Skull said. "We already know all your tricks from back when you were workin' for us"

"Joker... How could you be so successful while having such an idiot as your partner?"

"Huh? Quit bluffin'!"

"It's no bluff," Queen says. "If he truly is behind the mental shutdowns, he's likely only shown us a fraction of his strength"

Akechi chuckled. "I'll tell you all about my true power... while you die. You can take that knowledge with you to the grave," two Shadows appeared behind him. "Spectra, kill them!"